Abdominal supporter.



No. 672,39l. PatentedApr. 16, |9 0PL W. J. T EUFEL. ABDOMINAL SUPPORTER.

(Application md June 26, 1960.)

' {No modem WM/Manna I UntrTsn PATENT rides.

\VILI-IELM JULIUS TEUFEL, OF STUTTGART, GERMANY.

ABDOMINAL SUPPORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 672,391, dated April 16, 1901. Original application filed November 4:, 1899, Serial No. 735,801. Divided and this application filed June 26, 1900. $erial To (LY/Z 1077,0177, it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILHELM JULIUS 'IEU- FEL, a citizen of the Empire of Germany, residing at Stuttgart-,in the Empire of Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Abdominal Supporters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to abdominal supporters, and has for its object to provide such devices with means whereby they will be caused to fit the body accurately and retain their position with certainty and at the same time afford a strong and effective support for the abdomen at all times and in all positions of adjustment.

With this purpose in view my invention consists, essentially, of an abdominal supporting-band having at the lower part of the abdominal supporting portion a welt or longitudinal enlargement, which is pressed into the abdomen, however, without causing any inconvenience to the wearer and which thereby affords a strong and effective support for the abdomen and takes a firm hold at the lower part of the same; and my invention consists, further, in such other details of construction and arrangement, either separately or in combination, as will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

This application is a division of an application filed by me on the 4th day of November, 1899, bearing Serial No. 735,801.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a supporter embodying my invention. Fig. 2 shows the welt portion detached. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section on the line a 4: of Fig. 2.

In the several views, 0 represents a band, which maybe made of any suitable flexible material, preferably of elastic fabric. This band is provided at its rear portion with a suitable fastening device, such as straps and buckles, or it may be made integral at this part and be made separable at the front. At the lower front edge and extending the entire width of the abdomen is a supporting-band A, which (No model.)

is preferably also made of elastic material. This band may be permanently secured to the band C or may be removably attached thereto by suitable means, such as straps at, having eyelets that engage hooks or pins on the band C. The lower part of the band A, whether in one or two parts, is provided with a welt or enlargement a. This welt may be made of any suitable fabric, but is preferably formed of elastic material and of less elasticity than the bands A or G. This welt is made of considerable thickness and curved in crosssection, preferably circular at its middle part, as shown in Fig. 3, and elliptical at the end portions, as shown in Fig. l, with the minor axis of the ellipse transverse to the band. This form of the welt is a great improvement upon the fiat narrow bands heretofore used for similar purposes, as the curved portion depresses the inner band into the abdomen somewhat and causes it to take a firm and steady hold on the same, and thus prevents displacement of the band, a result not accomplished by the fiat bands without a far greater amount of pressure, either positive or yielding, that would cause great inconvenience and probable injury to the wearer. If desired, either or both of the bands 0 and A may be made separable at the front middle portion and be detachably connected by hooks and eyes or the like. This arrangement of a wide band inclosing the abdomen and having a welt portion or enlargement extending along the lower part thereof for the entire width of the abdomen provides for the abdomen a firm and steady support at all times and in all positions and readily and quickly adapts itself to the various movements and postures of the wearer.

The construction of the band of elastic material and of the detached welt portion of material of less elasticity than that of the band serves to permit the band to expand for abdominal breathing and other causes, while the less elasticity of the welt portion causes it to be securely retained in place Without exerting any undue pressure upon delicate organs that might be injured were the band made out of non-elastic material. This result is particularlybeneficial in cases of pregnanoy.

Instead of the abdominal band shown my welt portion may be used with a corset of any desired construction, the term abdominal band being used herein to embrace all such devices that support the abdominal portion of the body.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An abdominal supporter comprising a flexible band adapted to encircle the body and inclose the abdomen, and having a welt portion of curved or bulged cross-section extending along the lower part of the band for the entire width of the abdomen.

2. An abdominal supporter comprising a flexible band adapted to encircle the body and inclose the abdomen, and having a detachable welt portion of curved or bulged cross-section extending along the lower part of the band for the entire width of the abdomen, and removably secured to the band by its extremities.

3. An abdominal supporter comprising a flexible band adapted to encircle the body and inclose the abdomemand having a detachable welt portion extending along the lower part of the band for the entire width of the abdomen, and removably secured to the band by its extremities, said welt portion being also detachably connected at its middle portion.

4. An abdominal supporter comprising a flexible band adapted to encircle the body and inclose the abdomen, and being detachably connected atits front middle portion,the band having a detachable welt portion extending along the lower part of the band for the entire widthof the abdomen and being removably attached to the band by its extremities, said welt portion being also detachably connected at its middle portion;

5. An abdominal supporter comprising an elastic band adapted to encircle the body and inclose the abdomen, and having a welt portion of curved or bulged cross-section extending along the lower part of the band for the entire Width of the abdomen.

6. An abdominal supporter comprising an elastic band adapted to encircle the body and inclose the abdomen, and having an elastic Welt portion of curved or bulged cross-section extending along the lower part of the band for the entire width of the abdomen.

7. An abdominal supporter comprising an elastic band adapted to encircle the body and inclose the abdomen, and havinga detachable elastic welt portion of curved or bulged crosssection extending along the lower part of the band for the entire width of the abdomen and secured to the band by its extremities.

8. An abdominal supporter comprising an elastic band adapted to encircle the body and inclose the abdomen, and having a detachable elastic welt portion of curved or bulged crosssection extending along the lower part of the band for the entire width of the abdomen and secured to the band by its extremities, said welt portion being of less elasticity than the said band.

9. An abdominal supporter comprising a flexible ban (1 adapted to encircle the body and inclose the abdomen, and having a welt portion of curved or bulged cross-section extending along the lower part of the band for the entire width of the abdomen, the welt portion being made tapering from its middle part toward each extremity.

10. An abdominal supporter comprising a flexible band adapted to encircle the body and inclose the abdomen, and having a welt portion extending along the lower part of the band for the entire width of the abdomen, the welt portion being of substantially circular cross-section at its middle part and tapering toward the extremities.

11. Aband to be adapted to abdominal supporters, corsets and bandages for the purpose of improving the fit and increasing the support of same having a welt portion of curved or bulged cross-section extending along the lower part of the band for the width of the abdomen and removably secured to the supporter corset or bandage by its extremities.

12. An elastic band to be adapted to abdominal supporters, corsets and bandages for the purpose of improving the litand increasing the support of same having a welt portion of curved or bulged cross-section extending along the lower part of the band for the width of the abdomen and removably secured to the supportercorset or bandage by its extremities,

and also being detachably connected at its middle portion.

13. An abdominal supporter comprising a band adapted to encircle the body and inclose the abdomen and having a welt portion of curved or bulged cross section extending along the lower part of the band for the width of the abdomen and removably secured to the band C by its extremities. I

14. An abdominal supporter comprising a band adapted to encircle the body and inclose the abdomen and having a welt portion of curved or bulged cross section extending along the lower part of the band for the width of the abdomen and removably secured to the band C by its extremities, band A with said welt portion being also detaohably connected at its middle portion.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILHELM JULIUS TEUFEL. Witnesses:

KARL H. GENTH, HERMANN WAGNER. 

